BITE card - discount card for use at railway station outlets, discontinued 29 Jan 2026

[whole diary]

[GBM]

I anticipate certain members now going on the Union attack road 

[Sixty3Closure]

I was at Paddington last week and most of the food outlets were closed which surprised me - mainly as I was quite hungry. Ended up with something from a 2/3rds closed Prett.

I expected some to be open but with reduced staff/counter space etc. I'd imagine if they're closed people will get use to them being closed and stop using them.

[TaplowGreen]

Probably worth the Union reflecting that whatever the rights and wrongs of SSP's decision had it not been for the Government Furlough scheme, SSP would simply have made them all redundant months ago, so at least those staff have had 6 months pay that they otherwise wouldn't have received.

I fear they will not be the only ones in this position over the next few months.

[Bmblbzzz]

I was at Paddington last week and most of the food outlets were closed which surprised me - mainly as I was quite hungry. Ended up with something from a 2/3rds closed Prett.

I expected some to be open but with reduced staff/counter space etc. I'd imagine if they're closed people will get use to them being closed and stop using them.

I'd imagine that with the recent Greencore coronavirus outbreak, people might become wary of packaged cold food. (I don't think Greencore supply Pret but they do supply most supermarkets).

Anyway, I guess it's easier to lay staff off now then hire again when/if business picks up than carry on paying the same number and end up going bust.

[eXPassenger]

Probably worth the Union reflecting that whatever the rights and wrongs of SSP's decision had it not been for the Government Furlough scheme, SSP would simply have made them all redundant months ago, so at least those staff have had 6 months pay that they otherwise wouldn't have received.

I fear they will not be the only ones in this position over the next few months.

I also note that 5,000 staff on a 30 hour week at £11 ph amounts to £102M with a 20% uplift for NI, pensions etc.  The RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) state a UK^▸ (United Kingdom) profit of £191 M over 2 years without stating the UK turnover.

They will have calculated that demand for food will be at or below 50% of historic levels for the medium term future and are adjusting their business model accordingly.

[IndustryInsider]

I fear they will not be the only ones in this position over the next few months.

Yes, I see Pret have announced several thousand today, and there will be many more thousands when the furlough scheme ends.  Fair enough that the union should try and back up the workers, but there is very little they can actually do for them.

[didcotdean]

Taking a look at the latest trading statement, SSP Group overall made a loss in the six months up to the end of March of £32.7M after tax, compared with a profit of £39.3M in the same period the year before (the half-year including the summer is normally the more profitable one). They cancelled their interim dividend amongst other measures, such as raising new equity capital. This would only have a few weeks of the European Covid-19 closures factored in.

As to past performance it is the case that the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) profit in 2018 and 2019 financial years was £191M but to be clear this is adding the two years together, not an annual figure made in each year, and is before taxes and finance costs which are not presented at the country / division level.

[Fourbee]

The Bite card used to give me a feeling of loyalty.

I've got this card in my wallet. Does it still work?

The last time I used it was at Euston to make a bacon roll slightly less extortionate and no more edible, but that was ages ago.

The % discount was watered down over time IIRC^▸ ('if I recall/remember/read correctly').

[ChrisB]

The Bite card used to give me a feeling of loyalty.

I've got this card in my wallet. Does it still work?

Chuck it.....

[bobm]

I read somewhere the scheme officially ended this January.

[Chris from Nailsea]

The scheme was discontinued on 29 January 2026. New cards haven't been available for years, but existing ones seem to have continued working (in some outlets) until then.

I found my card at the back of my desk, when we were downsizing house a couple of years ago.  As I couldn't even remember the last time I had used it, I chucked it.

[bobm]

As I couldn't even remember the last time I had used it, I chucked it.

In an environmentally friendly way I hope!   

[Chris from Nailsea]

Yes: in our 'plastic recycling' bag.  Mind you, with North Somerset Council contractors, it's debatable whether some of that actually gets to where it should.